Brake for wire-feeding devices



June s, 1M8.

J. N. PAGLIARUL BRAKE FOR WIRE FEEDING DEVICES Filed Sept. 4, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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June 8, 1948. J. N. PAGLIARUL BRAKE FOR WIRE FEEDING DEVICES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 4, 1944 IN V EN TOR. 72.

w w W 7 7 A MMJWW Patented June 8, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE- BRAKE FOR WIRE-FEEDIN'G DEVICES Application September 4, 1944, Serial No. 552,646

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to improvements in wire stitching machines, of the type used for stitching or stapling fiber or paper board boxes, and more particularly to improved wire feeding and guiding mechanisms for such stitching machines.

A wire stitching machine for paper board boxes ordinarily includes mechanically operated and controlled mechanism through which an extent of wire is advanced and which is adapted to cut ore-determined lengths from the wire, bend the same into staple formation and apply the staples to superimposed thicknesses of paper board flaps or box wall sections brought into juxtaposition to the mechanism. The wire is supplied from a reel freely revolubly mounted on the stitching machine and means are employed for pulling the wire from the reel and in guiding or directing it tothe staple forming and applying mechanism. In the conventional wire stitching machines the wire feeding mechanism is permitted to freely pull the wire from the reel with the result that the reel has unrestrained rotation in the direction of the unreeling of the wire, and this has been found to be objectionable in that the unreeled wire, as fed through the guiding means and to the staple forming and applying mechanism is too loose and is apt to become tangled or kinked, with the result that the staples formed are uneven or are improperly applied to the fiber board.

With the above in mind, it is, therefore, a general object of the present invention to overcome the difficulties mentioned by providing wire feeding and guiding mechanism for a box stitching machine wherein restraint or drag is automatically and variably imposed on the wire reel so that when pull is imposed on the wire, the reel will turn slowly and properly in equalization with the force of the pulls and tensions imposed thereon.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide improved wire feeding means in a box stitching machine arranged with a yieldable guide over which the stretch of wire is straightened and passed to the wire feeding mechanism, with said yieldable guide carrying a brake shoe resiliently engageable with a peripheral portion of a Wire reel with the result that pulls imposed on the stretch of wire by the feed mechanism will cause the yieldable guide to bend or flex with this tendency being utilized to resiliently apply the brake shoe to the wire reel so that the reel cannot revolve too freely in the direction of unwinding of the wire when a pul1 is imposed on the wire, the application of the brake shoe being released, through the yielding guide member, during a cessation or easing of the pull on the stretch of guided wire.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a box stitching machine, wire feed check means constantly engaging the stretch of wire being unreeled and'advanced, effective to permit free advancement of the wire but which prevents back movement of the wire should there be retrograde movement of the reel, the arrangement being operative to prevent the formation of improper, short staples should there be a tendency toward backlash or retrograde movement in the wire unreeling mechanism.

As the wire supplied to the staple forming and applying mechanism of a box stitching machine is originally in coiled form on a reel, the stretch of wire pulled from the reel and fed to the subsequent mechanisms of the machine may be bent to the extent that it might interfere with its passage through the subsequent mechanisms and hinder the formation of proper staples. With this in mind, the invention has as another specific object the inclusion in wire guiding mechanism for a box stitching machine of an adjustable device engageable with the stretch of wire leaving the reel, and effective to straighten or unbend the same.

A further specific object of the invention is to include in a wire guiding mechanism for a .box stitching machine an open wire guide between the feed rollers and the staple forming and applying mechanism, said open wire guide permitting the removal therefrom of dirt and abrasions from the feed wire which might ordinarily remain in'the guide to clog the same and prevent proper feeding of the wire, said open wire guide being removable for repairs, cleaning or replacement, and the open construction of the same permitting ready lubrication thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stitching machine wire feeding and guide mechanism which is of very simple construction, which is strong .and durable, which is automatic and efficient in operation, which insures uniformity of staples, and which is well adapted for the purposes described.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved stitching machine wire feeding and guiding mechanisms and its parts and combinations, as set forth in the claim, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig.1 is a fragmentary front view of the upper reel, the yielding wire guide, and the brake shoe carried by. the latter and engaging the reel;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged", fragmentary, detail sectional view showing the mounting of the yielding wire guide, the adjust-able wire straightener thereon, and the wire feed check;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 5; showingthe curved open wire guide between'the': wire feed rollers and the staple forming and applyingmechanism; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, detail, sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Inasmuch as the invention is concerned pri; marily with certain wire feeding and guiding mechanisms, it will not be necessary to describe in detail the box-stitching machine in which the said improvements are incorporated. Suffice it to say. that the machine includes a massive, hollow, vertical pedestal 8 on which is mounted-a horizontal stitcher bar 9 which receives the work to be stapled. Above 'thestitcher bar' 9 and properlyispaced'relative thereto is a staple cutting, forming and applying. unit, designated generally byth'e numeral'lfl; The moving parts incorporated in the unit I9 arecontrolled through the operation of cams II and I2 mounted fast on a horizontalclutch-controlled shaft I3. The-latter is driven through connections withan electric motor (not shown).

the U-shaped lower end portion of the guide and brake and to additionally limit the outward movement of the spring extension arm on the outer side of the U-shaped portion.

A wire straightener 29 comprises a. U-shaped bracket adjustably seated on and embracing any selected portion of the outer. arm of the wire guide I8. It is held in a selected adjusted posi- 'tion by a clamping bolt 30 having its shank portion threaded through a tapped opening in the intermediate wa'll'3I of the member 29 and im-' pinging against'a-selected portion of the member The forward end of an elongated stretch'of wire I4; preferably flat in cross-section, enters unit Ill-to 'be successivlycut intosuitable predetermined lengths therein, which=lengths are then' bent and shaped into staples which are driven into superimposed thicknesses of paper board box walls mounted'on'the stitcher bar 9. The wire I4 is-unwound from a reel I5 which is freely revolubly'mountedon a';spindle 16' supported from a; frame arm-11 extending above the main portion orthemachine'. 4

A yielding wire guide andreel brake isin'dicated generally by the numeral I 8'. This memb'er-is of U=fo1mationcomprising an inner arm I 9 and an outer arm having an :inturned extremity'ZU; terminating adjacent one-side of the upper peripheral portionof reel I5. The last mentioned portion of the" wire guide'alsocarries loops 2| through-which'the stretch ofwire I4-is passed. The inner arm of the yielding wire guide is bolted to an adjacentvertical arm portion of-a' yielding attaching bracket 22; whose inner end portion is mounted on and securedto the rigid cap '23 of the wire stitching'machin'e. The outer arm of the yielding bracket 22, which is integral with the mm of the guide l8; carries a vertical yield- 0 in'gsexten'sion arm 24, to the upper I end' of w-hich isafiixed',lat rightangles, aU-shaped brake 25 adapted to engage 'andembrace peripheral portions ofthe reel IS. The inner surface of the brake carries a flexible brake shoe'26 to yieldingly and frictionally engage peripheral portions of the reel I5 for braking purposes. As is best shown in Fig; 3, aset screw-2I; adjustably threaded through thebracket arm 22, has its inner end in adjustable impingement with the yieldable'extension arm 24, and through thismeansthe posi-tion' of the brake25 relativeto' the reel15-an-d its degreeof contact therewith, may be regulated. Bolt 28 (see Fig. 3) holds the guide in -place and the bolt 28 serves tolimit the minimum spring-:tension in I8; Thespac'ed arid projecting side flanges 32 of I4; becauseof-itsbeing wound on the reel [5, may come from-thereel in a bent or deflected condition, andin this condition it is extended over the curved portion of the outer arm of the wire guide. It is desirable that the wire be straightened before it reaches the subsequent mechanisms for properformationof staples, and to that end a roller 34 on the member 29 engages the stretch of wire- I4 as it-is advanced and deflects the same in a'direction so as to take out the bendsor irregularities therein. By' loosening the clampingbolt 3ll and shifting the unit 29 upwardlyor downwardly along the outer arm 'of'the guide, the pointof contact-of theroller 34 with the wire may be varied and regulated in accordance with the condition orthe wire and the extent of the bends or irregularities therein which are to be straightened or eliminated;

The numerals 35 indicate a pair of driven wire feedrollers or wheels arranged to have the stretch of wire I4passed between their engaging peripheral portions whereby the wire is clamped and downwardly advanced duringthe period of engagement. As is-common in this type of wire stitching machine, the rollers are arranged so that they make clamping engagement with the wire during only a portion of the revolution of the rollers whereby an intermittent feed or advancement of the wire is obtained for the purpose of-ultimately securing staples of a given length. Positioned immediately above the wire feed-rollers 35 and having the wire I4 passed therethrough, is a'wire feed check, best shown in- Fig. 3 and designated generally by the numeral 36. This member comprises an outer barrel t'l-having a vertical bore therethrough which houses the bored shank of a stem 38, the latter extending exteriorly of 'and above the barrel 3'! and having a headed portion 39 between the lower surface of which and the topof the barrel, there is a coiled spring; Within the barrel 31=and surroundingth'estem- 38 is a downwardly, outwardly tapered cavity 4! which houses, on opposite sides of the stem 38, a, pair of ballbearings 42, the latter'both projecting through recesses in the stem- 3Band engaging'therebetweenthe stretch of wire I4 which is passed axially through the bore of the stem and through the lower'end of'the barrel-31. When there is a downward or-feeding pull on the wire I4, as imposed by-the feed rollers 35, the stem 38 is urged downwardly in'the bore of the barrel 31, and this'permits'the'ball bearings 42 to follow the enlarged inner contour of the cavity 4|, whereby said ball bearings are not pressed into clamping contact-with the wire I 4, permitting free feedin'g'of the'wire in the directionof advancement. Thedepression ofthe stem38 is against theforce exerted by the spring40i Should there be an undesired upward 'pull? imposed on the wire I4 due to retrograde movement of the reel, the wire might undesirably shift upwardly and thereafter prevent the formation of proper length staples, save for the wire feed check 36. With the arrangement described, if there is an upward pull on the wire, there is an immediate resilient lifting of the stem 38 to an extent which will confine the ball bearings 42 within upper or reduced portions of the cavitylll whereby said ball bearings will be forced inwardly relative to the stem recesses to cause the ball bearings to clampingly engage the wire :4 therebetween to positively and automatically prevent undesired upward movement of the wire. Should it be desired to shift the wire upwardly slightly for any particular reason, the feed wire check can be released through manually pressing down on the headed portion 39 of the stem 38, against the tension of the spring 40, to shift the ball bearings into an enlarged portion of the cavity 4| and to permit the wire M to move upwardly therebetween.

Mounted on a bracket portion of the machine with its open, upper end alined with a tangent to the meeting peripheries of the wire feed rollers 35, is a curved wire guide 43, shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 5. This member is adapted to receive the wire after it passes the feed rollers and to direct it to the staple cutting and forming mechanism l0. Throughout the length of the member 43 there is a curved internal cavity through which the extent of wire l4 passes. The upper end of the wire receiving portion of the member 43 is enlarged as at 43' for better receiving and directing the wire. The major portion of the wire receiving extent of the curved wire guide is open along its outer side, as at 44, and the cavity is substantially oval to conform with the fiat shape of the wire to eliminate friction, clogging and to enhance the feeding of the wire. The open construction of the guide permits the guide cavity to be easily rid of dirt which might lodge therein, or surface material rubbed from the moving wire, it being appreciated that an accumulation of such material Within the wire guide cavity might clog the same and prevent free or easy movement of the advancing wire. The open side to the cavity makes the construction practically self-cleaning and permits ready lubrication of the interior of the cavity and the wire passing therethrough. It will further be observed from Fig. 4 that a flattened side flange portion of the member 44 is removably bolted to a supporting portion of the machine by bolts 45, whereby removal of the unit is permitted for easy repairs, cleaning or replacement.

From the foregoing description, the functions and the operations of the wire straightener 29, the feed wire check 36 and the curved wire guide 43 are no doubt clear, and nothing additional need be said in respect thereto. With respect to the yielding wire guide and reel brake I8 it should, however, be noted that the particular formation, mounting and construction thereof causes the same to function in a very efficient, desirable and novel manner. The brake-carrying arm extension 24 and the outer wire-supporting arm are both resilient and yieldable. The

latter is curved in a manner so that the wire from the reel rests thereon, and when a downward pull is exerted on the wire, as in feeding, the outer arm of the member [8 is bowed inwardly somewhat, and this is effective to resiliently apply the brake shoe 26 to the periphery of the reel. As has been brought out heretofore, it is highly undesirable to permit too free rotation of the reel l5 while the wire is being advanced and unwound. With the present improvements, when there is a feeding downward pull on the wire, the greatest bowing pressure is exerted on the member is to apply the brake to the reel, and when punch the wire is released, the member I8 may flex in the opposite direction, releasing the braking effect on the reel. The arrangement, therefore, automatically and variably imposes restraint or drag on the reel in equalization with the pulls and tensions exerted on the wire and transmitted to the reel in a wire unreeling direction. The result is proper advancement of the wire in an unkinked condition to assure formation and application of properly shaped and length staples.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the improved stitching machine wire feeding and guiding mechanism is of simple and novel construction, and is well adapted for the purposes set forth.

What is claimed as the invention is:

In a wire stitching machine including a revolubly mounted wire holding reel and means spaced from the reel and engaging an extent of wire to unwind it from the reel, a combination wire guide and reel brake having a U-shaped lower end portion yieldingly mounted on the machine between said reel and said wire unwinding means, the outer side of said U-shaped portion having a spring extension arm extending lateral- 1y of a peripheral portion of the reel and outwardly bowed with respect thereto, the outer surface of said extension arm movably supporting an extent of wire unwound from the reel whereby a pull on the wire will bow said arm inwardly, the inner side of said U-shaped portion having a. spring extension arm projecting adjacent said peripheral portion of the reel, and a brake carried by the free end of the latter arm and frictionally engageable with said reel.

JOSEPH N. PAGLIARUL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 683,822 Weber Oct. 1, 1901 1,215,312 Pagliarul Feb. 6, 1917 1,357,752 Weber et a1. Nov. 2, 1920 1,460,526 Wolf et al. July 3, 1923 1,708,314 Leschhorn Apr. 9, 1929 1,733,834 Steele Oct. 29, 1929 1,798,898 Pagliarul Mar. 31, 1931 2,239,964 I-Iofiert Apr. 29, 1941 2,254,255 Zeruneith Sept. 2, 1941 

